Kim M. Thompson

E-government around the world: lessons, challenges, and future directions

As demonstrated by the articles in this symposium, e-government can create significant benefits for citizens, businesses, and governments around the world. “Although still in its adolescence, the core transformative capacities of the Internet include its potential for radically shrinking communications and information costs, maximizing speed, broadening reach, and eradicating distance.” E-government is a key method for achieving many of these goals. The articles in this symposium issue have presented a number of diverse e-government projects that are currently demonstrating the potential benefits of e-government. Gupta and Jana offer an adaptable framework that can be used to assess tangible and intangible benefits of e-government and, by applying the framework to an e-government initiative in New Delhi, India, suggest that the model offers the most information when applied to mature e-government initiatives. Kuk examines the relationship between the quality of local e-government services and the levels of Internet access in the 12 regions of the United Kingdom, finding that lower quality of local e-government services correlate with low levels of Internet access. Wang investigates electronic tax-filing systems in Taiwan, discussing the implications of technology acceptance and perceived credibility of the systems as factors that influence adoption of e-government services. Each of these articles contributes to the understanding of e-government by focusing on particular issues related to e-government in specific parts of the world. The initiatives discussed in this symposium provide a better understanding of e-government in each location and offer lessons that can be applied to e-government efforts anywhere.

Connecting with new information landscapes: information literacy practices of refugees

Purpose – The purpose of the research reported in this article is to understand how refugees learn to engage with a complex, multimodal information landscape and how their information literacy practice may be constructed to enable them to connect and be included in their new information landscape. Design/methodology/approach – The study is framed through practice and socio‐cultural theories. A qualitative research design is employed including semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews and focus groups which are thematically analysed through an information practice lens. Findings – Refugees encounter complex and challenging information landscapes that present barriers to their full participation in their new communities. Social inclusion becomes possible where information is provided via sharing through trusted mediators who assist with navigating the information landscape and information mapping, and through visual and social sources. Research limitations/implications – The study is local and situated and therefore not empirically generalizable. It does however provide rich, deep description and explanation that is instructive beyond the specific research site and contributes to theory building. Practical implications – The study highlights the role, and importance, of social and visual information sources and the key role of service providers as mediators and navigators. Governments, funders and service providers can use these findings to inform their service provision. Originality/value – This is an original research paper in which the results provide practical advice for those working with refugees and which also extends theories of information literacy practice as an information practice.

The Intersection of Public Policy and Public Access: Digital Divides, Digital Literacy, Digital Inclusion, and Public Libraries

The terms digital divide, digital literacy, and digital inclusion have been widely used in discourse related to the Internet over the past two decades. Even though these terms are rarely defined and their meanings shift with changes in technology, these concepts have driven many Internet-related policy decisions in public libraries. This article examines what has happened in the gap between concepts and policies, as public libraries organize to provide Internet education, access, and assistance. Following an examination of the meanings assigned to these terms and policy efforts based on these concepts, this article examines the roles of public libraries related to the concepts and the ways in which these roles have been shaped by policies that impact access to information that is increasingly embedded within a range of technologies. The article then explores the ways in which policy could better support public libraries in these roles and the ways that these roles can contribute to public library advocacy and a voice in policy making.

Settling in: The relationship between information and social inclusion

Social exclusion is a process that directly reduces people’s capacity to participate in society. An important factor that contributes to social exclusion is the inability to recognise or understand important sources of information that facilitate social inclusion and participation. Social inclusion requires an ability to develop effective information practices that enable connection to compliance, making available everyday and nuanced information that constitute elements of the information landscape which need to be accessed and understood in order to participate in their adopted community. For refugees who are establishing themselves in Australia, the information landscape appears unfamiliar, complex, and difficult to navigate. To enable them to settle in Australia, new information practices may be required to enable them to find and interpret information, resolve problems, and deal with everyday situations which enable social inclusion and prevent social exclusion. This paper reports the findings of a p...

The US information infrastructure and libraries: a case study in democracy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the US information infrastructure, including discussion of federal policy affecting the evolution of the infrastructure. Libraries are then discussed as a means to further utilize the information infrastructure to ensure democratic access to information.Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a brief history of the evolution of the US information infrastructure and then turns to discussion of how libraries can maximize their utility within the context of this information society.Findings – The paper identifies the richness of the information infrastructure and the potential for information poverty of Americans if libraries are not careful to focus on the information available through information technology rather than focus on the information technology itself.Research limitations/implications – This paper is based on an historical look at the democratic underpinnings of the US information infrastructure and outlines general tren...

“I Am Not Sure How Much It Will Be Helpful for Me”: Factors for Digital Inclusion among Middle-Class Women in India

The ability of the individual to participate fully in society is increasingly tied to the ability to access and to use digital technologies in a meaningful way for social, political, and economic participation, making digital inclusion a key component of modern social justice. This article explores digital inclusion issues beyond physical access to digital information technology. The research is based on a series of in-depth interviews with women in Kerala, India, who have had access to digital information technologies for at least 5 years. The collected data were analyzed for evidence of factors beyond physical access to technology and basic literacy skills that affect information and communication technology access and use.

A Case Study of Collaboration in the Building of China's Library and Information Infrastructure

The building of a nation’s library and information infrastructure relies upon more than books and computers, libraries, and other information centers. Although literacy and information technologies have long existed as part of China’s infrastructure, the social ideal of widespread access to information is remarkably recent and has largely been influenced by library collaboration and cooperation with other nations. Using a tripartite information access model, this article explores the role international collaborations played in building the foundations of physical, intellectual, and social infrastructures of libraries in China during the twentieth century and recommends future actions.

The Internet and the Evolution of Library Research: The Perspective of One Longitudinal Study

The impacts of the Internet on library services and information usage since the advent of the World Wide Web have been significant, changing patron expectations for libraries, the ways in which libraries can reach patrons, the amount of information available, the job requirements of librarians, and the roles that libraries can play in their communities in times of need, among more prominent changes. A recently published book—Public Libraries and the Internet: Roles, Perspectives, and Implications—documents this fifteen-year evolution of both libraries and the Internet in terms of the effects on different user groups, library professionals, communities, governments, and the libraries themselves [1]. Given the enormous impacts of the Internet on public libraries, it is not surprising that a great amount has been written about these impacts in both the academic and professional literature. The Public Library Funding and Technology Access studies (previously known as the Public Libraries and the Internet studies), a national survey of public libraries conducted biannually and then annually by John Carlo Bertot, Charles R. McClure, and collaborators since 1994, are the longest running studies in this area, but the number of related studies has grown along with the presence of the Internet in libraries. A 2010 article by Bo Kinney provides an extensive

Chapter 12: Letting Go, Holding On, or Re-Envisioning? Challenges and Opportunities for LIS Education in Australia

Purpose – This chapter provides a historical overview of libraries and library and information science/studies (LIS) education in Australia, charting the changing nature of the LIS academy and the profession. The chapter then examines the knowledge, skills, and qualifications required for current and emerging LIS professionals, discussing how we embrace new knowledge and analyzing whether there are aspects of current LIS education that we need to hold on to or let go of in order to re-envision LIS education in the future. Design/Methodology/Approach – A brief historical analysis of Australian librarianship, library associations, and LIS education, dating from European colonization in 1788 to the present, 2017, sets the context and informs the discussion. Findings – This chapter demonstrates how social, political, technological, and educational forces have influenced libraries, librarianship, and LIS education. Within this context, we propose ways forward, such as partnering with broader information communities, adopting emerging specialties, building closer relationships between academia and practice, and considering “letting go” of some of the old as we add the new. Originality/Value – By providing an original historical overview of librarianship in Australia with a particular focus on LIS education and how the goals and focus of both librarianship and LIS education have evolved over the centuries, this chapter contributes to an informed discussion designed to assist in re-envisioning the information professions and disciplines in the future.

After access: an inquiry into ICT use factors for Indian women

Nations have made great strides in providing physical access to digital technologies and educational opportunities, yet barriers still exist that prevent those who have strong physical and intellectual access to information and communication technology from taking full advantage of the information and opportunities the technology offers. Women in particular are affected by social barriers which may be quite subtle and are easily excluded from taking an active role in the information society. This study explores how Indian women incorporate information and communication technology (ICT) into their daily lives and what aids or barriers they face in the process. This study contributes to an understanding of factors that lead to Indian womens current use of ICT, reasons why Indian women choose to use ICT, and barriers to this usage.